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(No Model.)

H. E. PENNEY. DEVICE FOR SHIELDING AND PROTECTING WIRES. No. 425,107. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HERBERT E. PENNEY, OF MlNNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALE TO ZACl-IARY T. MORRISON, OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR SHIELDING AND PROTECTING WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,107, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed January fii lfigo. Serial No. 337,861- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. PENNEY, a'

citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Device for Shielding and Protecting Tires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to devices for shielding and protecting the trolley-wires of electric railways, although it can be employed for other purposes. As is well known, a powerful current is carried by these wires, and this current is taken off and conducted to the motor mounted on the car by a small grooved wheel or pulley journaled on the end of a lever pivoted on the roof of the vehicle and engaging with the under side of the wire, said wheel or pulley being technically known as a trolley. In the overhead system now in general use large numbers of wires for telegraphic, electric lighting, and other purposes are strung on poles and other means of support, and there is constant liability of these wires becoming broken or detached and of their falling across and in contact with the trolley- Wires of the electric railways, establishing connection with such wires and causing the hightension current to be conducted to various places, and thereby reatly endangering life and property.

My invention is designed to avoid all danger of contact of foreign conducting-bodies with the trolley-wires of electric railways; and it comprises a hood or guard, preferably composed of flexible insulating material, for covering and protecting the trolley-Wire. This guard is trough or channel shaped in crosssection, and is so mounted that its sides extend below the wire, and it thoroughly protects and shields the wire both from exposure to the elements and from all liability of engagement with loose or broken wires of every description.

The guard maybe provided with a continuous, or it may be interrupted, longitudinal rib orfin on its top, in which are inserted eyes,

hooks, or other devices made of insulating material, by which it maybe hung from the usual supports. The trolley-wire is preferably provided with a fin, which is properly secured in the material of the flexible guard or protector, whereby the wire can be hung in position by the guard; but it is obvious that the wire can be of the usual form and can be supported in the usual manner independently of the guard, and it is shown as thus supported in one of the figures of the drawings. Of course when the wire is provided with the fin or web its main body or circular portion can be made of less diameter, as the current will pass through both the wire and web.

While the guard is preferably in the form of a long channel or trough, yet it is distinctly to be understood that it could be made of various shapes without departing from my invention. I

The guard is preferably composed of flexible insulating materiaL-such as soft rubberwith a low degree of vulcanization, and as its sides are located some distance from the wire and extend below the same it follows that if a wire should fall upon the guard its weight will'cause the sides thereof to bend inward against the wire which they protect.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like symbols of reference are placed on like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a view of the posts and wire by which the guard device and trolley-wire are supported. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the continuous guard or protector. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the guard and trolley-wire. Fig.4 is afragmentary side elevation of the guard and trolley-wire. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the guard shown supported over a trolley-Wire of the usual kind. Fig. (3 is a vertical section of the trolley-wire, illustrating a modification of the manner in which it may be secured in the guard or covering.

A A are posts, and B is a wire supported thereby.

O is a guard or protect-or, preferably composed of insulating material, having eyes, hooks, or other equivalent devices a 0, also composed of such material, by which it is sus pended from the supporting-wire B.

D is a trolley-wire, having a web or fin (Z, (shown as embedded in the material of which the guard is composed.)

11. the trolley-lever and trolley, which is usually pivotally supported on the roof of the car, the trolley being in contact with the under surface of the wire.

I11 Fig. 3 the web of wire D is shown as socured in the material of the guard by-a crosspin; but it is obvious that it can be provided with projections e or with perforations f, by which itwill be retained in said guard In practice the material of the guard will generally be molded around the web or fin of the trolleyavire. In Fig. 5 the guard is shown as protecting a plain wire F, which may be supported in any ordinary manner.

It is obvious that the guard can be employed to protect wires employed for other purposes, if desired, and that it can be supported in various ways without departing from myinvention.

While I have represented a solid wire and web, yet it is obvious that the wire can be tubular and have its side or sides extended up to form the web.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination, with a wire, of a guard composed of flexible insulating material having sides extcmling below the wire, substam tially as and for the purpose specified.

:2. The combination, with a wire, of a flexibletrough-shaped guard composed of insulating material having sides extending below the wire.

A wire having a web or fin, in combination with a guard attached to said web, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A wire having a web or fin, in combination with a guard composed of insulating material attached to said web, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with a wire having a web or fin, of a guard composed of flexible insulating material molded on said web or fin, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

(L The combination, with a wire having a continuous web or fin provided with projec tions or perforations, of a guard molded 011 said fin, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, with a wire, of a guard having flexible sides depending below the wire and suspending devices of insulating material attached to said guard, substam'ially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT E. PENNEY.

Witnesses:

JAS. F. \VILLIAMSON, EMMA l 'ELMonE. 

